Privacy Code Principle: Consumer access to personal information — what does it require?

• A. Access is granted only to those with legal rights.
• B. Consumers have the right to access their personal information.
• C. Access is allowed only if there is a fee.
• D. Consumers have no right to access.

Answer: (B)

Consumers have the right to access their personal information. This ensures transparency and gives individuals the ability to verify what data is held about them, understand how it’s used, and see who it’s shared with. In practice, organizations should respond within a reasonable time, verify the requester’s identity, and provide a clear view of the information held, including its purposes and disclosures. Fees for copying may apply in some situations, but the fundamental right to access remains the guiding requirement. The other options misstate the principle: access isn’t limited only to those with legal rights, it’s about the person the data concerns; access isn’t conditional on a mandatory fee, and the right to access cannot be denied.